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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30083577">Name</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linadoon/pseuds/Linadoon'>Linadoon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stories of the Jellicle Tribe [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:34:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,573</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30083577</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linadoon/pseuds/Linadoon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tugger and Mistoffelees' little tuxedo kitten has something to tell them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger (Cats)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stories of the Jellicle Tribe [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2223459</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tuggoffelees' Seven Kittens</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Name</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Connected to my other fics, All alone with the memory, Kittens in your head and Seven kittens right out of a hat.<br/>But you don't need to read them to understand this one.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   Hekate had a very sweet and calm facade, but one should never underestimate her. She was not only an extrovert, she was a showstopper, a spotlight-stealer, just like her parents. One simply cannot keep Hekate out of the spotlight, and if anyone did try, she would do the most elaborated tricks and numbers to get to her rightful place, using both her dancing, singing and, of course, her magic.</p><p>   Maybe that’s why everyone thought she was the Rum Tum Tugger’s favorite – even if he always repeated he had no favorites amongst his seven kittens.</p><p>   Still, it wasn’t uncommon for cats to find Hekate sitting alone when her siblings and cousins were spending time together; her brow furrowed and lost in deep thoughts, playing with her long tail that grew fluffier and fluffier each day. Both Tugger and Mistoffelees wondered what went through the little tuxedo’s head, but they didn’t pry anything from her, giving her only gentle and non-intrusive questions, being happy when they got an answer and not pushing to get more when Hekate clearly didn't want to talk.</p><p>   Both (im)patiently waited for the moment their daughter felt comfortable enough to share, whatever it was she thought about so deeply; Tugger much more anxiously than Mistoffelees, for reasons the tuxedo couldn't fully understand.</p><p>   It wasn’t until she was almost one year old, that the two learned what went through their kitten’s head; the thing that always pulled her into a deep, serious meditation, while her brothers and sisters were playing around and enjoying their day.</p><p>   “Dad? Papa?” She called, entering her parents’ den.</p><p>   Tugger and Mistoffelees both raised their heads from the blankets and pillows that served as their bed.</p><p>   “Yes?” They smiled at their daughter.</p><p>   “I wanted to say something…” Hekate said, voice and expression serious, as if trying to act more like an adult cat.</p><p>   “Go ahead, dear.” Mistoffelees said, raising himself ever so slightly over the blankets and giving the kitten his full attention, like he knew she would like.</p><p>   Hekate hesitated, whiskers twitching and the tip of her tail flicking back and forth. Tugger and Mistoffelees waited patiently, and the magician laid a paw on his mate’s chest, feeling how the Maine Coon was growing tense with the silence.</p><p>   “I want to change my name.” Hekate finally spoke up.</p><p>   Both older cats blinked once or twice.</p><p>   “Oh…?” Tugger was the first to speak up, finally sitting up and smiling at his little tuxedo kitten. Mistoffelees noticed the slight stiffness of his movement and the strange, too wide smile on his face. His voice sounded a bit too joyful to be sincere. “Have you found your rightful Jellicle name...?”</p><p>   “Yes.” The kitten said with a smile, visibly relaxed.</p><p>   “Please, do tell us, love.” Mistoffelees smiled, still a bit confused with what was going on, but ultimately proud of his daughter.</p><p>   “It’s…” The kitten hesitated once more, more for effect than anything else, and then proclaimed with a proud smile: “My name is Grizabella!”</p><p>   Tugger’s eyes widened at the word and his body visibly tensed, tail bristling behind him and ears pressing against his skull. Mistoffelees’ smile dropped and so did his ears, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of what he had heard or because of his mate’s reaction.</p><p>   Grizabella noticed it as well, her own ears pulling back, while she instinctively started picking on her fur, keeping her eyes downcast.</p><p>   “What’s wrong…?” She asked in a soft, shy voice, closer to a whimper than a whisper. “Is it bad…?”</p><p>   “No, no, of course not, dear!” Mistoffelees quickly said, leaving Tugger’s side and crawling over to his daughter. He pulled himself into his feet and wrapped his arms around Grizabella, smiling down while patting her head. “We were just surprised, that's all. It’s a pretty name!”</p><p>   “Is it?” Grizabella asked, unsure, looking up at her father with those shiny blue, almost gray eyes that she had gotten from the Maine Coon's side of the family.</p><p>   “Yeah.” Tugger said, walking over to the two tuxedo cats. He was smiling more normally now, but still a bit tense and, his tail swished back and forth with quick, clearly stressed movements. “Did you hear that name before?”</p><p>   “No…?” The kitten was surprised by the question. “Other cat already has it…?”</p><p>   “No, He-- Griz. Every cat has their own name.” Tugger quickly said, raising a paw and patting his daughter’s head, scratching in between her ears, a spot that always got her purring and leaning against his touch. “I’m proud of you... For finding your own.”</p><p>   Grizabella looked from one parent to the other as if still processing everything. And then she started beaming, a large smile adorning her face while her blue eyes shined with a lovable, kitten-like glint.</p><p>   “So from now on I am Grizabella!” She proclaimed.</p><p>   “Yes. Our dear Grizabella.” Mistoffelees chuckled at his daughter's excitement. “Why don’t you go and tell your siblings now?”</p><p>   Grizabella hugged her parents, nuzzling them while practically vibrating with joy. Tugger’s paws lingered around her for a bit more than necessary, before she squirmed out of his embrace and ran off to find her six siblings.</p><p>   As she left, she took the lighthearted warmth of the atmosphere with her and a strange silence fell over the Maine Coon and the tuxedo.</p><p>   Mistoffelees turned to Tugger, blue and yellow eyes undecipherable.</p><p>   “You knew.” He noted, voice just as vague as his eyes.</p><p>   Tugger sighed heavily, returning to the blankets and dropping down gracelessly.</p><p>   “Since she was born…”</p><p>   “But you gave her a different name.” Mistoffelees muttered, following his mate.</p><p>   Tugger didn’t speak right away, not meeting his mate's eyes and staring at nothing in particular. Mistoffelees remembered the day they had given the kittens their name, the way he could feel the energy that came from his little tuxedo kitten didn't match the name Tugger had chosen; he was surprised it took this long for him to discover why Tugger had stuttered and hesitated before picking a name. And, now that he thought about it, the dots started connecting and so many little things started making sense to the tux.</p><p>   The way Tugger always seemed to focus on their younger queen, his brow furrowing in deep thought as he watched her whenever she was the center of attention, or when she hanged around her youngest siblings - two other kittens Tugger also happened to fuss about a lot. There were other hints, these not given to Mistoffelees by Tugger, but by others. Such as Nyxen, who never once called Grizabella by her old name, only calling her "sister", no matter how many times the tuxedo queen herself asked him to call her by her other name.</p><p>   It all made sense now.</p><p>   The tux sat down beside his mate and waited patiently for an answer, letting out a soft sigh upon seeing the tears slowly forming on the Maine Coon’s beautiful amber eyes.</p><p>   “I was… Scared…” Tugger’s voice came soft, almost shy.</p><p>   “I understand.” Mistoffelees wrapped his arms around Tugger’s neck, pressing his face against his cheek; they stayed there, in pretty much the same position they had sat right after Grizabella, the Glamour Cat, had been chosen to go to the Heaviside Layer. Back then, Mistoffelees had been silent, waiting for Tugger to process all that had happened, util the larger tom finally found the strength to speak and let his feelings out. But this time he wasn’t going to keep quiet. “Come here.”</p><p>   The Maine Coon obediently got up and followed after his mate, holding his paw with a tight grip as if afraid he was going to disappear, until they reached the entrance to their den. They had a good view of the junkyard’s main clearing from there and could see their seven kittens, as they enjoyed the evening under the fading sunlight, playing together with their cousins and friends.</p><p>   Grizabella was playing tag with Pysia and Calicary, just like they had always played. Nothing had changed. She was still the same lovable, tuxedo show-cat she had ever been.</p><p>   Despite looking like Mistoffelees, many cats – Tugger included – agreed that the little tux had taken after Tugger’s smile, together with some of his mannerisms as well. And now, as he watched her, he didn’t see just his smile on her face, but his mother’s as well. For the longest time he tried to force himself to ignore it, to pretend he didn't notice those little details, but never had much success with it. Right now, he couldn't ignore it even if he wanted to.</p><p>   “Look… She returned, she came back for <em>you</em>.” Mistoffelees said, his voice soft, while running his fingers through Tugger’s mane, knowing that the touch helped ease his mate's mind and body. The large cat listened, his head leaning against his mate’s, but his eyes never leaving their daughter as she ran from her brother's quick pounce. “She has come to us as someone you would love and protect, as someone who can make you happy and proud... To give the two of you a new chance.”</p><p>   Almost as if she knew she was being talked about, Grizabella turned to the two, smiling and waving.</p><p>   “Aren’t you happy?”</p><p>   “Of course I am...!” Tugger said automatically, waving back at his kitten, laughing as she was trampled by her much larger and furrier older sister. And after taking a deep breath, he said more decidedly, still smiling. “Of course I am...”</p>
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